DOD EXPLAINS HOMELAND DEFENSE AND CIVIL SUPPORT STRATEGY

FROM: U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Official Explains New Homeland Defense/Civil Support Strategy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2013 - The Defense Department incorporated hard lessons learned when it codified its new homeland defense and civil support strategy, said Todd M. Rosenblum, DOD's top homeland defense official.

Rosenblum, the acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas' security affairs, said the new strategy is a recognition that the operating environment has changed.

"We face new threats, we have new vulnerabilities, we have new dependencies, most importantly we have a new way to do business," Rosenblum said during a Pentagon interview. "We have to capture that and make sure the department is prepared and directed toward being more effective and efficient as we can be."

The Defense Department is charged with defending the homeland from attack. U.S. Northern Command is further charged with working with state and local entities and other federal agencies to provide support in times of natural or man-made disasters. In the first instance, DOD has the lead. In the second, another federal agency -- such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- has the lead.

The strategy, released in February, looks at the lessons learned from past experiences. DOD officials charted lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina through Hurricane Sandy.

They also looked at changes including the growth of network and communication dependence on private-sector capabilities and "the rising expectations from the president and from the secretary and certainly from the American people that we will be prepared to provide support to civil authorities within a 24- to 48-hour window to provide life-saving, life-sustaining support," Rosenblum said.

This is an incredibly short period of time, he said, and it forces a change in the relationship between DOD and other agencies. The old paradigm was to have civil partners "pull assistance" from DOD, to one where DOD actually "pushes assistance" where it is needed.

"So we are postured to provide assistance as fast and rapidly as possible," Rosenblum said.

The change between Katrina in 2005 and Sandy in 2013 shows the effectiveness of the new strategy, he said.

"We were more efficient, timely and effective in our support to Hurricane Sandy," Rosenblum said. "This is because we did integrated planning within DOD, with our federal partners, and with our state partners. We recognized the need to not wait to be called upon, but to pre-position our support capabilities knowing there's going to be audibles and ad hoc requests."

Planning is at the heart of the strategy, he said. Integrated planning -- with state and local officials, with other federal agencies, with non-governmental entities -- has increased visibility and prominence. The National Guard -- an organization that bridges state/federal efforts -- continues to play a crucial role. But the strategy recognizes that response to disasters requires an all-of-government approach.

The homeland defense mission codifies requirements to provide cyberdefense, Rosenblum said.

"The threats to networks and critical infrastructure increase when we are engaged in operations overseas," he said. "The physical effects of cyberattacks can impact our military operation capabilities and response capabilities."

The attacks themselves, he said, also could produce the type of man-made disaster that would require DOD assistance.

The fiscal environment impacts this -- and all other -- strategies.

"The sequester is real and effecting DOD through readiness, training," Rosenblum said. "It is difficult for the department to plan and budget intelligently, when we don't have budget certainty."

Officials devised the strategy when the department had already committed to $487 billion in reductions over 10 years.

"Sequester has changed the calculus tremendously," Rosenblum said. "But this strategy is not about buying new capabilities: It's about our planning, our processes and our integration."

DOD TARGETS HUMAN TRAFFICKING

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE

DOD heightens training, prevention to target human trafficking
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
1/2/2013 - WAWSHINGTON (AFNS) -- To spark awareness and vigilance against a growing global human rights crisis, President Barack Obama has proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Linda Dixon, the Defense Department's program manager for combating trafficking in persons, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service in a recent interview that DOD has strengthened training modules and reporting avenues to combat trafficking in persons, a criminal enterprise that generates roughly $32 billion per year worldwide.

"That's the second-largest source of revenue for criminal enterprises, and it's growing," Dixon said. "Trafficking is a zero-tolerance policy; it's not only immoral, but it is illegal."

The United Nations International Labor organization estimates more than 12 million human trafficking victims worldwide, with an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 new victims each year.

Some victims are Americans, Dixon said, but most victims come from elsewhere.

"Source countries are usually areas that are poverty-stricken," she said, "but trafficking is everywhere."

The Trafficking Victim Protection Act defines trafficking in persons as the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel a person to provide labor or services or commercial sex.

The crime, Dixon explained, can run the gamut of exploitation, and includes elements of recruiting, harboring, transportation, providing or obtaining a person for the purpose of exploitation.

State Department officials said the three most common forms of trafficking are labor trafficking, sex trafficking and child soldiering.

Child soldiering entails the unlawful recruitment of minors who, as young as age 7, are sexually and physically abused and forced to commit atrocities in more than 57 armed conflicts worldwide, according to State Department officials.

DOD's demand-reduction and prevention program is a mechanism to report violations and thwart offenses, Dixon said.

In addition to a general awareness training module, she added, the program also includes law enforcement, contractor and leadership-specific training modules.

"We have put together training modules ... (and) a clause in our contracts to prohibit contractors from being involved in trafficking," Dixon said. "All of the agencies have a (trafficking in persons) point of contact -- the services, the combatant commands (and) defense agencies."

Indicators include heavily guarded areas where workers appear intimidated or are being escorted from a facility to their home, or who lack personal documents such as passports or other identification, Dixon explained.

"You should report it to your local authorities; report it through your chain of command," Dixon said.

If DOD personnel are involved in trafficking offenses, she added, the inspector general investigates the type and scope of the offense to determine a course of action.

Noting that 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Dixon said the year will feature summits, events and conferences to sharpen awareness and eradicate trafficking.

"In DOD, we're charged with making sure that we protect our country's security, and trafficking in persons is a threat to that security," she said.

Dixon said great strides have been made at the highest level to stop this modern-day slavery and restore human dignity.

"There's an education process that's taking place, not only with people in general, but with our law enforcement, to recognize it, understand and know that it is a chargeable offense," Dixon said. "It is a danger to our troops. It's a danger to national security."

NIGHT LIFE IN SPACE

FROM:  NASA

Earth at Night
This view of Earth at night is a cloud-free view from space as acquired by the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership Satellite. A joint program by NASA and NOAA, Suomi NPP captured this nighttime image by the day-night band of the satellite's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite VIIRS. It combines the Earth at night view created by NASA's Earth Observatory with data processed by NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center with the EO Blue Marble: Next Generation.

Credit-NASA Goddard-NASA's Earth Observatory-NOAA-DOD

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT UPDATE ON RESPONSE TO HURRICANE SANDY

Photo Credit:  U.S. DOD.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Pentagon Provides Sandy Response Update
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2012 - The Department of Defense is a fully integrated partner in the federal, state, and local response to Hurricane Sandy and the northeaster that swept through the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States, defense officials reported today.

DOD still maintains significant capacity in the region to provide emergency temporary power and pumping capability and to distribute fuel, food, cold-weather clothing, and other comfort items as requested by civil authorities.

DOD's response to Hurricane Sandy continues, officials said. Significant updates over the past 24 hours, as of 11 a.m. EST, include:

DOD:
-- U.S. Northern Command has nearly 4,000 personnel supporting Hurricane Sandy relief operations in the affected area.

-- Air Force teams completed unwatering operations at Rockaway Wastewater Treatment facility, and East School in Long Beach, N.Y., and provided teams to support fire departments conducting unwatering operations in Breezy Point, N.Y.

-- Army divers repaired the pier system at Caven Point, N.J. Additionally, divers continue to assist the New York City Fire Department unwater the PATH tunnel at the World Trade Center and unwater the Long Beach High School and Recreation Center, N.Y.

-- Marines continued assessments with Army engineers in Far Rockaway, N.Y., and pumped 90,000 gallons of water from apartment buildings there. About 750,000 gallons were pumped from affected homes and parks in Breezy Point, N.Y.

-- Navy dive detachments continue to support the World Trade Center site and Marine Corps pump teams are assisting pumping operations at Breezy Point.

-- Helicopters from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are transporting and relocating generators in the area at the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Navy Seabees and Marine personnel restored the beach at Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook; and supporting debris clearance operations at locations in Bayonne, N.J. and the Battery, N.Y.

Defense Logistics Agency:
-- More than 1.8 million gallons of fuel have been delivered to FEMA distribution points in the New York/New Jersey region. Nine generators were delivered to the Army Corps of Engineers to power apartment buildings in New York City. Seven more generators and seven transformers are en route. Seven additional generators have been provided to the New York City Housing Authority.

-- Contracts are in place to support waste water clean-up, hazardous material removal, and debris removal operations. Two contracts have been awarded for 330 roll-off dumpsters and 34 trucks for overland trash hauling. In the last 48 hours, 2.5 million pounds of debris have been removed.

Army Corps of Engineers:

-- More than 500 generators are now staged at forward locations.

-- A total of 570 power generation and restoration taskings have been received. Five-hundred forty-five assessments have been completed, three are in progress and 22 are not yet started.

National Guard:
-- There are 6,618 National Guard personnel from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and West Virginia assisting in response and recovery efforts across their affected states.

-- The following states are supporting the response efforts through Emergency Management Agreement Compacts: Florida, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

-- Forty-seven chaplains and chaplain's assistants are providing trauma intervention/counseling, shelter visitations, worship services and other support.

-- There are 3,237 New York National Guard personnel on state active duty supporting relief operations in New York. Guardsmen have distributed 1,439,654 meals from 21 points of distribution sites since Nov 1. Fifty personnel are supporting Red Cross shelters at six sites in sites in Nassau County, N.Y. Guardsmen are also sorting and distributing donated goods from the Javits Center and delivering them to three points of distribution sites.

-- There are 1,957 New Jersey National Guard personnel on state active duty supporting relief operations in New Jersey. Since Nov. 1, the guardsmen distributed 12,590 blankets, 1,740 cots and 3,648 towels. Since Nov. 2, they also have distributed 93,229 gallons of fuel to emergency responders from four distribution points in support of FEMA and DLA. The New Jersey National Guard is providing tents and mobile kitchen trailers to shelter and feed emergency management personnel. Guardsmen continue to assist civil authorities at state-run shelters with transportation, meals, water and power generation in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties, at the Jersey City Armory, and in Glen Gardner borough. Unarmed Guardsmen are providing safety and security support to law enforcement agencies in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

-- The West Virginia National Guard has 364 personnel on state active duty conducting community assessments; medical evacuations; snow and debris removal; and food, water and generator distribution.

COUNTER NARCOTICS PROGRAMS IN AFGHANISTAN

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs' Counter narcotics Programs in Afghanistan
Fact Sheet
Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
May 4, 2012
Public Information: The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) supports the Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) Counternarcotics Public Information Program (CNPI) through the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program (CPDAP), as well as through grants to media companies, non-governmental organizations, and Afghan government organizations. Since January 2011, the CNPI program has raised awareness about the harms of the drug trade through 411 provincial outreach activities reaching an estimated 107,135 people across Afghanistan. The CNPI program has supported a nationwide media outreach program, including 5,098 radio and TV spots and 64,466 print materials over the past year. In 2011, the Preventative Drug Education program was implemented in 300 schools and reached over 60,000 boys and girls. In April of 2012, the Ministry of Education agreed upon an elementary school curriculum.

Demand Reduction: INL-sponsored drug treatment centers provide residential, outpatient, and home-based assistance to more than 10,000 addicts per year, including services for women, children and adolescents. INL is the largest international donor to addiction prevention and treatment services in Afghanistan, funding 29 in-patient drug treatment centers. INL routinely conducts independent, science-based outcome evaluations of its major drug treatment initiatives. Over 500 mullahs have been trained on the problems of drug addiction and how to conduct community shuras on the dangers of drug consumption, cultivation, and trafficking. With INL support, mullahs have opened outreach centers in their mosques and are now a major source of referral of addicts into treatment.

Supply Reduction: The MCN’s Good Performers Initiative (GPI) provides development assistance to provinces that meet annual counternarcotics goals. In 2011, 22 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces received GPI awards totaling $19.2 million for achieving poppy free status, reducing poppy cultivation by more than 10 percent, and/or demonstrating other exemplary counternarcotics progress. The MCN’s Governor Led Eradication (GLE) program provides funding to Governors who undertake Afghan-led eradication. During 2011, 18 provinces participated in the GLE program (up from 10 in 2010), resulting in a more than 65 percent increase in nationwide eradication from the previous year.

Interdiction: INL, DEA, and DOD partner to build the capacity of the Counternarcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA), the Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU), National Interdiction Unit (NIU), and the Technical Investigative Unit (TIU). NIU and SIU officers are now able to request and then execute their own warrants. Evidence gathered by the TIU through court-ordered surveillance operations increased the number of large-scale drug trafficking and related corruption cases brought to the Criminal Justice Task Force. In 2011, these specialized units were a critical piece in the interdiction of over ten metric tons of heroin and 82 metric tons of opium in Afghanistan.

Counternarcotics Justice: INL supports Department of Justice mentoring and operations at the Criminal Justice Task Force and the Counter Narcotics Justice Center (CNJC), which investigates and tries counternarcotics cases. Overall, the CNJC has a conviction rate of over 90 percent (712 primary court convictions in 2011, the most recent year for which statistics are available, including 35 government officials), with all those convicted serving jail time.

International and Regional Cooperation: INL supports multilateral and bilateral efforts to study and improve Afghan-led and regional counternarcotics efforts, including through the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Colombo Plan. With INL funding, UNODC and the Afghan government publish the annual Opium Cultivation Survey as an authoritative resource on illicit cultivation in Afghanistan. INL is also a strong supporter of regional law enforcement and policy coordination efforts through the UNODC’s Paris Pact Initiative.

Counternarcotics Capacity Building: INL’s efforts to build capacity at the MCN began in 2010, with results including an infusion of Afghan and expatriate mentors and action officers. Additional materiel and capacity building assistance are in process, including information technology assistance and a vehicle acquisition that will enable MCN’s provincial offices better to perform their core functions. A key element of MCN’s mandate is the development of a National Drug Control Strategy, a rewrite of which is in the final stages of development.

DOD, NAVY, TEXAS WIND GROUP, SIGN AGREEMENT OF A MUTUAL APPROACH FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY

FROM:  U.S. NAVY

By Kenneth Hess, Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division Public Affairs

NAVAL AIR STATION (NAS) KINGSVILLE, Texas (NNS) -- The Navy released today a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by officials from the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Navy and Texas Wind Group (TWG) that outlines a mutual approach to enable a renewable energy developer to build and operate wind turbines at planned locations in Kleberg County, Texas, while reducing the potential for those turbines to affect flight operations at NAS Kingsville.

"Sustaining military readiness is the number one priority of everyone in the Navy chain of command," said Capt. Mark McLaughlin, commanding officer of NAS Kingsville. "This agreement helps preserve NAS Kingsville's capability to train naval aviators, while enabling the compatible development of new energy sources."

Signing for DoD was David Belote, director of the DoD Energy Siting Clearinghouse. Signing for the Navy were Roger Natsuhara, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment; John Quinn, acting director of the Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division; Vice Adm. William French, commander, Navy Installations Command; Rear Adm. John Scorby, commander, Navy Region Southeast; Capt. Douglas Edgecomb, commanding officer, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, and McLaughlin. Dru Steubing signed on behalf of Texas Wind Group Managing.

"The Navy recognizes the strategic and fiscal importance of developing domestic sources of energy for use both ashore and at sea," said Quinn. "As we develop new sources of energy, it is critical that we not create a new problem as we solve another. This agreement with the Texas Wind Group is proof that when energy developers and the military work together, it is possible to achieve a win-win for both national security and energy security. This agreement allows the military mission and alternative energy production to co-exist in South Texas, and may pave the way for similar agreements elsewhere."

TWG's Riviera I wind farm project will be comprised of 83 turbines between nine and 11.5 nautical miles south of NAS Kingsville's radars and navigation aids. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) from the turbines has the potential to impact those systems. However, the MOA describes technical solutions for this, such as connecting NAS Kingsville's air surveillance radar system with the radar at Corpus Christi International Airport and optimizing radars to "ignore" signals received from wind turbines. TWG will contribute $500,000 to help pay for these technical upgrades to Navy radar systems. Under the MOA, TWG also agreed to reposition certain turbines that would have caused interference with the Kingsville precision approach radar. TWG also agreed to temporarily curtail the operation of certain turbines if the precision approach radar is negatively affected.

"The Texas Wind Group is delighted to be the first wind energy company to finalize an agreement of this type with the Navy," said Steubing. "We are fully committed to protecting the capability of our nation's military, and we appreciate the opportunity to work with the Navy to make our development compatible with the Navy mission in South Texas."

The Navy and the Department of Defense will continue working closely with renewable energy developers and local communities in South Texas to ensure local wind turbine projects can coexist with the Navy mission.